Due 2/23: Social Media Challenge #2

Being part of the blogging community often means not just posting on your own blog, but commenting on others. Social Media Challenge #2 requires you to comment on 10 other blogs. At least five comments can be on the blogs of other students in our class (see the Class Blogroll in the right sidebar of this blog).

Make sure your comments are substantive. Add to the conversation!

Provide links, screenshots, or anything else (for instance, your user name on a parithat will help me find your 10 comments online. Include them in a comment on this course blog post by the beginning of our next class, Monday, February 23rd.

A length and probably unnecessary means of sharing my blog comments. I had to wait for moderation on a few of them, but wanted to still be able to show that I’d written them.

From: https://homerunsinmedia.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/time-to-go-from-the-bench-to-the-plate/comment-page-1/#comment-6
emilyrwolfrum
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
FEBRUARY 22, 2015 AT 12:51 PM
I found this video and post to particularly impactful. As someone with little knowledge of sports media and its representation of women, I had not formerly considered how the NFL’s recent bouts with domestic violence might affect or be interpreted by female sportscasters. I think Nolan’s comparison of her own incidence of submission when given the opportunity to speak with Goodell made for a perfect segue in a larger conversation about the depiction of women in sports media. While it is a conversation that few are having, it is a side that is better received now, in the midst of ongoing gender tension, than ever before.

From: https://thomasblondal.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/transfer-deadline-day-a-great-way-to-find-reliable-reporters/comment-page-1/#comment-7
EMILYRWOLFRUM says:
As someone with little knowledge of this transfer window and football signing, I found that your post spoke to the need for sports journalists to also be analysts. They cannot rest solely on play-by-play broadcasting, but must also have a good eye for individual players and the understand the identity, strengths, and weaknesses of each club. However, it is more than even individual examination. As you mentioned, a large part of providing accurate signing information is having strong connections in the industry. It leaves me to wonder if there is a conflict of interest in sports media having strong involvement with individual clubs.
Like
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
FEBRUARY 22, 2015 AT 8:06 AM REPLY

From: https://nihalaq.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/blogging-here-blogging-there-blogging-everywhere/comment-page-1/#comment-7
EMILYRWOLFRUM
February 22, 2015 at 8:24 AM
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Your ending statement was extremely powerful in expressing the significance of these hijabi fashion bloggers. Not only is there personal impact on the hijabi women that they are teaching and inspiring, but global impact in the redefining of a largely misunderstood culture and tradition. Mainstream representations of women in fashion place strong emphasis on the exposure of the female figure, so much so that the industry is often attacked for harming and objectifying body image. Hijabi fashion, however, has found a way of neither compromising its modesty nor beauty, as these women are undeniably feminine and stunning without showing a lot of skin.

From: https://rebeccadigitalnewsroom.wordpress.com/2015/02/19/social-media-suggests-sequels-to-films/comment-page-1/#comment-4
emilyrwolfrum
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
FEBRUARY 22, 2015 AT 9:42 AM
I had always been curious about what became of temporary publicity pages on social media. I often notice them on Tumblr promoting a new television show or movie, but these sites each inevitably have a shelf life. Such profiles, especially those as active as Twitter, almost personify the brand or product and are great for reaching large numbers of followers. As you mentioned, you noticed the reemergence of activity on the Avatar page prior to reading about its upcoming sequel, which is largely reflective of how our generation consumes news. I wonder how often such news is broken through social media profiles as opposed to news sites.

From: https://journeyingjournalism.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/the-social-culture-of-travel-news/comment-page-1/#comment-5
emilyrwolfrum
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
FEBRUARY 22, 2015 AT 10:02 AM
In studying crowdsourcing over the past week, it seems like travel journalism is a perfect candidate for its utilization. While much can be learned regarding tourist attractions from a professional, your ordinary traveler’s experience is often a bit more relatable. They offer insight on overlooked questions or details that someone so heavily researched on the area might not. Crowdsourcing in this field might also shed light on largely obscured destinations and niched cities. I often find myself discovering new places simply from scrolling through Tumblr photos.

From: http://bellejar.ca/2015/02/20/guest-post-on-being-a-trans-woman-and-crossing-the-bathroom-line/comment-page-1/#comment-55519
emilyrwolfrumFebruary 22, 2015 at 3:32 pm #
My college newspaper recently published an article about the development of several gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. This came to mind as I read this article, and I felt myself instinctively wishing that more establishments would embrace the usage of such restrooms. Not only are they constructed with universal utilities, but they come with a mutual, non-threatening understanding by each user. They are a safe space.
I hesitate, however, in that I believe that as a woman (whether cis or trans), you should be able to use the restroom associated with your gender identity if you wish. You are a woman, and thus, you should be free to live your life as all women do. Unfortunately, as this is an issue of personal biases and attitudes rather than one of company law abidance, what ‘should’ be has limited practicality. It’s terribly unfortunate, but from looking at other comments, you do have the support of others as well as some helpful ideas. Best wishes.
Your comment is awaiting moderation.

From: http://iwantedwings.com/2015/01/20/wicked-wiles-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-1937/comment-page-1/#comment-2057
EMILYRWOLFRUM says:
Your analysis of the relationship between Snow White and the Evil Queen and the queen’s death were particularly interesting. One cannot help but scoff at the petty motives that drive this entire story, especially when contextualized with modern thinking. All conflict is driven by one woman’s envy of another’s beauty. There is an entire teen/coming of age/romcom genre for those problems now without the need for fantasy and dancing animals.
I was also struck by your discussion of nature (Snow White’s primary friend) as the demise of the queen. In this way, Snow White seems to become an active part of the petty woman drama being constructed without sacrificing her gentle, feminine charm. How telling also that Snow White, as a woman, fights back with lovely landscapes and animals rather than a sword as any upstanding male Disney character would have.
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
FEBRUARY 22, 2015 AT 3:58 PM

From: http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-feed/2015/01/theres-a-right-way-to-put-your-dog-to-sleep.html
When I was in elementary school, my family had to put down our dog. I was maybe seven at the time and remember little more than waiting impatiently on the living room couch for my dad to come home without Smokey. Now, as someone with six pets and a horrible sense of lurking cynicism, having to relive that childhood memory with the consciousness of an adult is something that occasionally crosses my mind, and it’s quite awful. I pride myself on being a very logical and practical person, but the decision to put down any of my animals at this point would be brutal. However, your closing words stuck with me– “Long goodbyes always fill every party involved with dread.” It was a statement reminiscent of an inevitable break-up, something my adult consciousness is a bit more familiar with, and that my own rationality has had to conquer before. Thank you for sharing this heartbreakingly lovely story.

From: http://nailsbails.com/2015/02/10/trapped/comment-page-1/#comment-127361
emilyrwolfrum
FEBRUARY 23, 2015 AT 1:07 AM
One summer, while driving to North Carolina from my home in Jersey, our family car broke down. What was supposed to be a fun-filled week at Busch Gardens quickly became five days of sitting in a Pep Boys waiting room. Some days, we would all walk down the highway to the nearest Barnes and Noble just so that my poor mother wouldn’t have to stare at those gray cement walls any longer, intermittently running to the bathroom to cry. I read an entire book series that summer. My siblings and I were blissfully unaware of the woes of double-booking hotel rooms and enjoyed wasting the days walking around that lame town in Pennsylvania. We never did make it to North Carolina. By the time our car had been fixed, and the mechanics had replaced the radiator they had broke while trying to solve the initial issue, our car no longer had functioning A/C, which was just about the last straw for my poor parents, who said screw it, and took us to the beach for the rest of the weekend.

From: http://www.scum-mag.com/how-to-call-fellow-men-out-on-misogyny-a-choose-your-own-failed-argument/#comment-949
This post was so incredibly relatable and amusing. Too often have I had this conversation with one of my uber conservative relatives, and I, too, have heard the “I’m entitled to my opinions” speech more than I can fathom. Perhaps loveliest about this post, however, was your clever incorporation of sources and factual information, cleverly placed in what would appear to many as just a light-hearted, step-by-step humor piece. An easy and informative read, one that many should reference in their relationships with others.

http://themindunleashed.org/2014/10/quit-smoking-naturally-consuming-foods.html
I’m a heavy smoker and I hate it. I can smoke up to a pack a day (mostly I try to keep it to a half a pack) if I’m stressed. I seriously hate the hassle of going out and smoking, then coming back reeking of cigarettes. Even I can’t take the smell of cigarettes lingering in a room. As a college student and part time worker, I consumer a lot of caffeine and come across a lot of stress. I don’t come across fresh fruits and vegetables that often though.
The idea of being able to overcome this nasty habit is nothing short of impossible-seeming. E-Cigarettes, nicotine patches and lozenges never seem to do it for me. I just want to smoke.
The other day, after I ate some strawberries that I managed to pick up from the grocery store before heading back home, I tried smoking a cigarette. It did taste gross. It felt as if someone had put mud in my water.

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2015/03/26/10-shady-origins-of-consumerism-in-the-us/#comment-7732225
(awaiting moderation)
I hate that Americans in particular are looked at as consumers rather than citizens. It makes me embarrassed to be an American. I don’t want to be sold stuff, I want to be rightfully informed and fully conscious of what I’m putting in and on my body or just buying because. Bernay’s daughter said that her father said himself that the public had to “be guided from above”, as they could vote for the wrong man or want the wrong thing. He considered himself one of the “enlightened” or “elite” people that had the power and brains to do so. I personally hate him just from reading this little blurb about him. I think it’s evil to control people’s thoughts and opinions. People should be able to make them for themselves… not have them shoved down their throat by others. If a lady wanted to smoke in the 1920s, then let her smoke. But don’t audition the sexiest girls to do it so you can sell the most cigarettes. (because part of Bernay’s theory was to draw off of human emotion rather than fact, and every female wants to be sexy) Thanks to Bernay and his followers,”corporations know how to turn citizens into consumers, trigger their unconscious cravings, and make them purchase unnecessary products” which I find despicable.

http://www.the-open-mind.com/how-drumming-heals-the-body-mind-and-soul/
One time, I went up to Alex Grey’s house for a celebration of his church, Chapel of Sacred Mirrors. Grey pulled out a didgeridoo, which I had previously never heard of. He himself didn’t play it, but introduced the artist by saying that his rhythm was used in CoSM for meditation and prayer purposes. Wondering why, I settled down to listen to the music. When played, it was as if the whole room came together. It isn’t an exaggeration — get people in the same room on the same rhythm and it’s as if they all know each other.
Even finding your own rhythm by yourself is a vital practice. Counting up or down, drumming my fingers, tapping my foot, or nodding my head, or finding my pulse always seems to get my thoughts going in one direction — not their usual haywire criss-crossy mind aching directions.

Wow, I almost spit out my drink… If this isn’t sickening to people I don’t know what is. Herbs have been on this planet before we were, and have been used successfully in medicine for longer than we realize. Tumeric root, which is not mentioned in this article, is one of the most interesting of those herbs. It can be ingested to help relieve headaches and battle depression. It can be applied topically to relieve pain. And it works.

I used to just put oregano on my pizza and call it a day. After reading that “both compounds are natural decongestants and histamine reducers that have direct, positive benefits on the respiratory tract and nasal passage airflow” I’m going straight to my medicine cabinet and throwing out all my Dayquil and Coricidin and finding organic oregano oil as soon as possible.

http://www.iheartintelligence.com/2015/03/25/4-types-of-people-no-one-needs-in-their-life/
I recently had a Boat Anchor-type person in my life. Each time he’d ask for advice and I’d give it to him, he’d go right around and do the complete opposite than my suggestion. Then, worst of all, he’d come crying back to me when his shitty habits didn’t benefit him. This one kid would constantly be running out of money — short on rent or unable to buy food for himself, forcing him to either leech off of me or other sympathetic people. But he never stopped to think “Hey, maybe I should stop wasting all my money on useless stuff and actually pay my bills.” The worst part was seeing how intelligent this kid was.
It was frustrating to see him in this constant state of sadness, into which he would try to pull me down with him. If it wasn’t bad enough that he would ask me to pay his rent or buy him his dinner (when I grew up thinking it was the other way around — the guy helping the girl), he would cry to me about how desperate he was about his situation and how suicidal it made him feel. But he just kept sinking, and unwilling to drown with him, I cut the rope and let him go.

http://wearechange.org/wearechange-censored-by-google-operation-in-danger/
I find it strange that videos having to do with “main stream media reports, interviews with Presidents, self help and non violent philosophy videos” aren’t allowed to be advertised on YouTube when ISIS’s beheading videos are splattered all over the internet. That right there is a little unsettling to me. How can something so nasty and fear-inspiring be allowed to be broadcasted all over the internet but when something peaceful is posted it is seen as having a “sensitive nature”. Google is trying to show it’s power over wearechange.org by not letting them receive the revenue they need from the advertisements, causing them to potentially shut down their media outlet.

http://myscienceacademy.org/2015/03/08/the-common-reason-you-may-not-be-able-to-sleep/
I find that not only looking at my phone or computer right before bed disrupts my sleep, but having my cell phone or computer within three feet of my head makes me wake up with a headache.
I know that the blue that is used on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other sites is meant to reflect the blue in the daytime sky. That’s why it stops the melatonin in our brains from forming when we’re tired… because we think it’s still time to be awake.
I think that people need to start putting their electronics (including their wireless router, for I’ve found this to disrupt my sleep as well) as far away as they can from where they sleep at night. And, to also spend your day in another place other than your bedroom.
Doing these few things have helped me obtain a better sleep.

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/03/25/why-me-time-matters-5-reasons-to-treasure-solitude/
I don’t know if I would classify myself as an introvert — I love socializing and being around people. But when I can’t seem to get a second to myself, I find my thoughts going a little off the wall. If I don’t spend at least 20 minutes organizing my thoughts, the smallest thing can seem like a mountain I have to climb. I wish I could say I meditate every day — I mean there is a meditation pillow in the corner of my room here in Queens, but I simply haven’t started. But that doesn’t mean I don’t meditate in my own way. I love to write and listen to music. Not just any music, but music that tells or story or instrumentals that keep a common beat for me to think to. Those are the methods I use.
I for one used to confuse being alone with being lonely. But, as I’ve grown up a little I’ve realized that being alone is freaking awesome. I don’t have to listen to anyone, and I can just zone out and think about what I want to think about.